Burdened Hearts
by IluvTheChipmunks
Summary: Alvin and Brittany were once in love, until their harsh breakup, that is. 5 years have passed and they haven't seen each other since then. Brittany is now with someone else, but when Alvin suddenly shows up at her doorstep, she is now having to make the decision to choose between the boy she is with now, or the one who broke her heart.
1. Prologue

**Hello! This is my newest story, and let me tell you, I am so excited about this. I've had this story in mind for a while now, but never got the chance to start on it until now. I'm stepping out of my comfort zone with this one, mainly because I have a _few_ things in mind with this fanfic that I have never really touched on before, so I'm looking forward to that.**

**This is most likely going to be a very lengthy story, much like '_Afraid of falling in love with you_', so there goes the rest of my year, haha.**

**But in all seriousness, I'm pretty excited to write this new one, and I hope all of you will love it as much as you did with '_Afraid of falling_...'.**

**In the mean time, here is my newest story, _Burdened Hearts_.**

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**PROLOGUE**

**Love.**

What is **love**?

How can a stupid little word be so _powerful_?

Why do people even fall in love? How is it possible that this weird, special kind of bond makes two people fall in love with each other? How does this phenomenon even work? How could something so damn small, be so big? How can two souls dwell into one in a matter of time? Why does infatuation manipulate people like this?

Why would someone _risk_ their own life for the one they love?

Those are only a few of the millions of questions that were burning inside of him, her - inside both of them.

But what is the definition of love? Is it two people who can't _**live**_ without each other? Or is it two people who would _**die**_ for one another?

How can one simple little 4 letter world be one of the most mindful things on the planet? No, that's ridiculous. What does 'love' even mean? That word has to mean nothing, right? Nothing at all. It was like an empty space that would _never_ be filled. The word 'love' should mean darkness; the trauma one goes through while being in love should be illegal. The _pain_ one goes through while dedicating their life to another should not be allowed.

What comes to mind when you hear that bizarre 4-letter word? What do you see? What do you _feel_?

Now, here we have a boy and a girl. Gosh, was he handsome. And goodness, was she ever gorgeous.

Long story short, they loved each other. What did the word 'love' mean to them?

Well, to **_them_**, it meant everything.

But now, it was next to _nothing_. They felt nothing. They saw nothing.

_They_ use to think that love was just a silly little action that most people fell into. _They_ use to think that love was just another thing they didn't want to involve themselves in. _They_ never ever understood the concept or the purpose of falling in love. All there was to it was setting your eyes on one person, and giving your heart up for someone else. Seems pointless, don't you think?

But in the moment they least expected, everything altered in a way they didn't want.

At one point in their lives, something about the way they felt towards their friends and my family meant very little to them, and all they could focus on was each other. They both felt the feeling of _hatred_ flame up within their veins, making them want the things they desired so badly, right in their hands. There was this feeling where they needed something to fill the desire of not wanting to be alone. Something about them had changed, the moment they realized that everything they thought about love was _wrong_.

It was a new feeling, as if they wanted to have something that they couldn't have - something they _knew_ they couldn't have. It had changed them in a way they never thought was possible.

But what scares them the most was how their whole lives changed because of the person they once called their _enemy_.

To _not_ be afraid to risk your life for another person, especially when you begin to feel something deep within you _for_ them.

How absurd, right?

But no.

All those time when they thought that love was just a word, they were instantly proven wrong. It scares them to remember how fast their perspective on life changed, how their perspective of their family had changed, but there wasn't anything they could do about it. It was as if their minds was glued to their hearts; they only had to listen to their heart, and nothing else.

They didn't realize how much they could affect each others life and future until the harsh reality pulled them apart. Pulled away from everything, everyone that they ever cared about. Stripped away from the ones they loved the most.

But as their lives progressed, they began to realize that they were losing everyone and everything around them. At one point, they were both at the darkest point in their lives. They didn't have anyone to turn to. They had no one to talk to, except that they _did_.

They _did_ have someone to talk to, someone to run to, someone to cry to.

But the thing was, they wanted nothing to do with each other - not anymore.

They both knew that they were stupid, they knew that they were in bitter, emotional pain, remembering all the chances they had, but didn't take. They can remember every memory, every moment of that dark point in life. They can remember feeling their emotions get torn apart in a way no one had never experienced before.

But how else would you feel when you knew you were falling in love with someone you promised yourself to _hate_?

It was as if each day that passed by was getting darker, more painful to live through. How could it be, that they were once in love with each other? As of now, it seemed as if it was just an old folks tale. Their hearts would tighten up as these brutal words were spoken, but they didn't know each other anymore. Whatever was once there was simply, gone.

They were both unaware that all they were trying to do was _protect_ each other, to save what could have been because that was what they promised to do.

They began to hear things from other people, people who tried to manipulate lies into their heads. People told her lies about _him_, and people told him lies about _her_. But they were nothing more than false dishonesty, swimming into their minds, breaking their hearts even more, wondering how it could be possible.

But _they_ didn't know they were lies.

But they were ripped apart from each other before they could really confess what was in their hearts all these years. The people around them made them change, pulling them apart until they were no more than mere strangers in each other's life, dragging them away from each other until the sounds of each other's names were nothing more than a distant sound.

And that's what scared them.

The people around them had turned them against each other until they got to the point where they were oblivious to each other's presence.

And it _killed_ them on the inside because at one point if their life, they were everything to each other. From the very start, they meant the entire world to each other.

They meant everything to each other, even before they were romantically linked. At one point, before even knowing what love was, they were the pair of friends that always made you shake your head and mutter under your breath. They argued, bickered and insulted each other til no tomorrow, yet, for some reason, they still cared about each other as if a part of their _own_ soul belonged to the _other_.

As strange as it was, they grew up to be inseparable, being the couple that made everyone turn heads in admiration and jealousy.

But that was before - a long, long time ago, it was now unspoken of, forgotten of.

It was different between them now.

Because of the people around them now, because of the dark influences that triggered them to become foreign to one another, they knew that deep inside, they not only lost a piece of their life, but a piece of their heart.

Where there were once kisses, were now profanity that escaped from their cold lips. Where there were once warm embraces, were now punches that resulted in bruised bodies. Where there were once laughs, were now screams of hatred. Where there were once gazes, were now tears.

But as mentioned, they wanted nothing to do with each other anymore.

They _hated_ each other.

Because of this stupid thing called 'love', they were so close to losing everybody they ever cared about.

But despite this hell that they continue to endure, they both knew that they had lost the one person they needed the most.

She was hurt, emotionally, mentally, physically...in every way possible. She wanted to scream for him, but she knew he wouldn't answer - not anymore, not ever.

_'Fight for me, please.'_

_'No.'_

_'But you promised me.'_

_'Promises are meant to be broken.'_

He was hurt in ways one cannot even begin to imagine. He wanted to run to her, but he knew that she wouldn't dare to look him in the face ever again.

_'I just don't know who you are anymore.'_

_'...I don't either.'_

_'It's like...I never knew you.'_

Sometimes, they could still feel it in their hearts, pumping inside of them, making them cringe with every emotion. They could feel every raw emotion, every sharp breath, every painful cry that ever fled out of their bodies. The cruel memories replayed itself over and over, against their will.

This was how a girl fell in love with the wrong guy at the right time, how a boy fell in love with the right girl at the wrong time, how they had to experience the wrath of having their emotions be played around with, how they made mistakes, how they made life threatening choices, how their lives fell apart, how they almost lost everything that was important to them...

They needed each other, they couldn't deny it. But the truth settled in, telling them that no matter what, they would never be friends again, that they would never feel anything for each other again, that they would remain as strangers until their death...

They knew that there would never be any sense of love between them ever again. Never again. They promised that.

_'I hate you so much. I wish...I wish you were dead.'_

_'You know that's not true.'_

_'I WISH YOU WERE DEAD!'_

_'But you don't hate me, do you.'_

_'I...I don't know.'_

Cruel, threatening words were always shared between them, but the violence and foul language just seemed to increase until they were no longer words, but actions. How it pained them to act like this, but the memory of what was once love, quickly turned into a pool of hell. They swore to never speak to each other again, but deep inside, they would walk through Satan's breath just to take even the smallest glance at one another, to bring some sanity back into their bodies, into their minds, to remind them what use to be.

But there was still something else...

It's been 5 years.

They changed - they both changed.

_He_ was only trying to protect her.

_She_ was only trying to save him.

But they didn't even know it.

And they hated each other.

But it's been 5, long years, and they haven't seen each other since then.

It's been 5 whole years, and there hasn't been one moment where they have thought about one another, a moment where they've seen each other. To them, the other was gone, forgotten, out of _their_ life, nothing more than a stupid little memory that was pushed to the back of their heads.

Until now.

This is a story about a boy and a girl.

And it will break your heart.

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**Remember, this is only the prologue :)**

**So, how was it so far? I'd love to hear some feedback, and I promise I'll try my best to get onto chapter 1 ASAP!**

**Thanks so much for reading, and please REVIEW!**


	2. Two different worlds

**Thank you for all the lovely reviews that I received for the prologue. Gosh, I literally can't wait to start on this story. This is probably one of my favorite, if not, my _most_ favorite story I have written, and it's only the first chapter! But I have a lot of things planned for this story, and I've already planned most of them in my head haha**

**Anyway, here is the first official chapter, and I hope you'll enjoy reading!**

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Some say falling in love could be a wonderful thing. Others say the complete opposite. People say that you are truly in love with someone when you're willing to leave everything behind just in order to make them happy. Others say that trust gets you killed, love gets you hurt and being real gets you hated.

We begin this story now with a young man and a young woman. He had dazzling gold eyes and thick bronze hair. She had bright sapphires as eyes and long, beautiful, lightly caramel brown hair. They seemed like the perfect two, being the ideal couple that every man and woman wanted to be in. Stares of jealously would be looked upon them whenever the two were with each other.

But they were more than just partners, they really were the best of friends. They knew each other in a way that no one could ever understand. In all, they were perfect for each other. They had plans with each other in the future; they wanted to see the world together, to get married, to start their own family, everything.

Seems like a cliched type of ending, doesn't it.

But their reality soon turned into everything _but_ that.

Soon, their happy little lives turned into a living nightmare. They soon found that they were no longer happy, that they were getting emotionally hurt more often whenever they were together, that seeing each other's face didn't bring a smile to them any longer. Their little jokes soon turned into insults, their playful teasing soon turned into heated arguments.

They began to ignore each other more and more, growing sick and tired of each other as each day went by. Being around one another seemed more like a job than what it should be.

Where there were once 3 hour long phone calls, were now 2 minute conversations filled with screaming and tears. Where there use to be nights where she couldn't sleep, she would phone him and he would always be the one to drive to her house in the middle of the night. Now, whenever she couldn't sleep, she couldn't even bring herself up to reach for her phone.

There was nothing.

They soon began to hate each other, until the word 'hate' was soon replaced with something even more.

They _resented_ each other. They resented each other to the point where they told themselves that they were done. They told themselves, and told each other, to '_stay away from my life_'.

And that's exactly what they both did.

Months later, after that unexpected and brutal breakup, they lived separate lives. They haven't seen nor heard from one another, but they didn't care. They both felt like it was a breath of fresh air, like some sense of freedom that they had been waiting for. As the weeks passed by, they became more estranged from what use to be a life they wanted, until it got to the point where all of that was pushed behind.

There was no form of interaction between them. They stayed away from each other as much as they could. They pretended that the other one wasn't there, until it got to a point where they had absolutely nothing to do with each other anymore. They were both involved in different things, while the other had no clue about it.

And it went on like this for _months_.

After high school, he moved away to another state, while she stayed back at home in California. She didn't even know that he moved away until a few months later, when someone had told her about it. But to her, she didn't care. She didn't even act surprised.

It's been years now, that they haven't seen each other. No one spoke a word about _her_ around him, and no one spoke a word about _him_ in front of her.

The life they once had was completely nonexistent.

Not once have they regretted their breakup, not once did they wish to see each other again. Not once have they even thought back on all the times when things were actually going okay. In fact, the moment they last saw each other was meant to be their last, and they both wanted it to stay that way.

They didn't care about the other's whereabouts. They didn't care about the other at all. They left each other's minds for good.

But where was _he_ now?

Where was _she_ now?

They haven't seen each other in 5 years, but things have changed.

Things have changed a lot.

Would they ever come across one another ever again? Would they even make an attempt to fix what had been ruined? Would they bring themselves up to repair what use to be a life they both would have wanted? Would they even remember how it ever felt like when they were together? Would they even care?

It's been 5 years.

They thought they had left each other's lives for good.

They just had no idea.

* * *

Brittany Miller was a happy woman. She was beautiful, she had a good job, good friends and a good family. She lived in a house all by herself in the midst of Los Angeles. She had a tiny, slim figure with long brown hair, and had pretty blue eyes that made her facial features stand out.

Not much has changed for Brittany. She still lived close to her mother and sisters, still had an extreme love for fashion, was still a bit vain and stuck up, much like she was when she was younger. She grew up to be a stunning young woman, but other than that, there hasn't been too much that has changed.

But since she became an adult, a few things have changed. One, she moved into her own place. Her mother, Beatrice Miller, still lived in their old house, but she often visits Brittany and her sisters as much as she could. Her sisters, Jeanette and Eleanor also lived in separate houses, but the three girls still lived within a 10 minute drive with each other.

She matured a lot as well. Growing up, Brittany always knew that her temper was something she had to work on, but as she grew older, she found herself calming down within seconds of getting frustrated. Yes, there were still a few things she needed to work on, especially when it came to her patience, but besides that, everything was going great.

She has a good job, lived in a wonderful house by herself, and she really was happy. In fact, these past few years have really been a breeze. There was no trouble, nothing that bothered her, nothing that made her blood boil, nothing. Though as vain as she can be, she really does care about the people around her. She really was enjoying life as a young woman.

She was now 23 years old, and she was extremely independent for her age.

She stared at herself in the full length mirror and fixed out the remaining flaws in her hair. She was getting ready to go to a baby shower; one of her closest friends from high school was due to give birth to a baby boy in a few months, and Brittany couldn't be any happier for her friend.

She glanced up at the wall, noticing that she was late. She walked out of her bedroom, grabbed the gift off the counter, and got into her car. Her life has been pretty crazy and hectic lately, especially with all those late night at work. She just couldn't wait to see an old friend again; it's been a long time since she's seen someone she used to know from her high school days.

Moments later, she arrived that the place, where everyone greeted her, where she greeted old friends, who were telling her she looked amazing, asked her how she was doing, and all that.

"Brittany!" Called her _very_ pregnant childhood friend, Eva.

Brittany smiled and laughed to herself when she saw her friend walking (It was more like waddling) over to her. Brittany has known Eva since they were in elementary school. Sometimes it felt so surreal that someone she knew from school was about to have a baby.

"Goodness, Eva." Brittany laughed, as she hugged her. She pulled back and stared at the bulging stomach. "Are you sure you're only 7 months pregnant? You look like you're ready to give birth any second!"

Eva laughed. "I know. Ugh, I can't believe I have to endure 2 more months of this."

Brittany smiled. "Well, here, let's sit down. I don't want you to hurt yourself."

They walked over to the living room where they both sat down. Brittany placed her gift along with all the others before turning to her friend.

"I'm so glad that you could make it." Eva said.

"I wouldn't miss this baby shower for the world." Brittany said.

"So, how are you? I haven't seen you in so long!" Eva exclaimed.

"I'm doing good. And I know, I've been pretty busy lately." Brittany answered.

"How's your job going?"

"It's tiring, but I love it. I'm so grateful that I finally found a job that I actually enjoy." Said Brittany.

"How are your sisters? I haven't seen them in so long either." Eva asked.

"They're doing great. We've all been so busy nowadays. I'm just so glad that I have the week off to relax." Brittany said.

"Well, that's good. I'm so glad to see you. It's good seeing someone from school. It's been a while." Eva said, placing her hands on top of her stomach.

Brittany laughed lightly. "So, any plans for a name yet?" She asked.

Eva shook her head. "No, not yet. But gosh, he is going to be such a handful, I can tell."

"Well, I cannot wait to see the little guy. He's going to be such a handsome boy." Brittany said.

Eva laughed. "To be truthfully honest, Brittany, I would have thought that out of our group of friends back in school, _you_ would be the one to get married and pregnant first."

Brittany wasn't so sure what to make of that, but she knew why Eva said that. Back in high school, Brittany use to be with someone, someone who use to be very important to her. They were even voted '_Most likely to get married after high school_' too. But there was no more of that, there was no more of _him_.

"Speaking of that, Brittany, when is it going to be _your_ turn?" Eva asked suddenly.

"My turn? For what?" Brittany asked.

"To have a baby, of course. A baby of your own." Eva said.

Brittany laughed nervously. "Well, I...well, Chris and I don't have any plans for that any time in the future, but maybe someday."

4 years ago, while on her break at work, Brittany ran into someone by the name of Christopher Keaton. He was a tall, dark haired man, with icy blue eyes, who was only a year older than Brittany. They began to talk for a while before Brittany realized that she was 10 minutes late to her next shift at work. But before Brittany could run off, he offered her his number, and things went from there.

They've been together for 4 years now, and though they live in separate houses, they still found time to spend with each other outside of their busy jobs. Chris was one of the reasons to why she was very pleased with her life, why she felt like a completely different person than the one she was 5 years ago. Even though she and Chris do have their ups and downs sometimes, she really does love him.

"Oh. Well, how's Chris doing, anyway?" Eva asked.

"Good." Brittany answered, smiling.

"Are you guys living together yet?" Asked Eva.

Brittany shook her head. "No. We still live apart, but we _have_ been talking about moving in with each other soon. There's just too much going on right now. He's working full time, I'm working full time. There just isn't enough time to settle down."

"Well, you guys still have plenty of time in the future, anyway." Eva said.

"I guess." Brittany answered.

"Are you happy with him?" Eva asked.

"Happy? Well, of course I am, Eva. Why wouldn't I be? I'm very happy with him." Brittany said, though she wondered why her friend asked her that question. The answer is totally obvious, isn't it?

"And you two have been dating for how long?" Eva asked.

"Four years." Sighed Brittany.

"Four years, and he still hasn't proposed? Britt, we've got to do something about that!" Eva said.

Brittany couldn't help but laugh. She shrugged and said, "I know. I love him and all, and I really wish he would ask me to marry him soon, but we're both busy people. But right now, I'm perfectly happy where I am, and I couldn't have asked for anyone better."

* * *

It was a rainy day all the way across the country, in the city of New York. A 24 year old young man that went by the name of Alvin Seville was asleep in his luxurious penthouse. Now, Alvin had a good job, made extremely good money, lived by himself and everything. But for some reason, he just wasn't satisfied with it.

He was in deep sleep until light movements around him woke him up. He opened his eyes, revealing his golden orbs and yawned. He sat up, running a hand through his messy brown hair. He blinked a few times, still not completely woken from his sleepy state and saw beer bottles lying all around his bedroom. Now _that_ woke him up.

He felt the light movements again before he averted his gaze down beside him, where a half naked blonde girl slept beside him. But before he could react, the corner of his eye caught _another_ sense of movement and saw another half naked girl, this time with deep brown hair, curled up in a ball against his sofa.

Wait, but who were these girls? He's never seen them in his life.

Alvin looked at them for a few moments, trying to recall anything that happened last night. Why were there a dozen of empty beer bottles lying around his room, and why were there two half naked girls in his bed?

_What the hell happened last night?_

He sat up straight, soon finding the entire room starting to spin. He groaned to himself. Whatever _did_ happen last night was probably the cause of this sudden hangover.

He got out of his bed, clothed himself, leaving the two girls where they were, and walked out of his bedroom and into the kitchen where he took some pain-killers to help ease his headache. He leaned against the kitchen counter and closed his eyes.

It's happening again.

He just didn't understand. He worked at a really good place, earned a lot of money, lived in a penthouse in New York, is able to bring girls back to his place any time he wants, but he just wasn't happy.

He thought back to his hometown of Los Angeles, where his father and two brothers still lived. Sure, he's talked to them on the phone every once in a while, but he hasn't seen them in years, and he was now beginning to wish that he had never left. He moved out, the moment he graduated high school 5 years ago. He spent a few years in college, but hated it and decided to drop out after two years. But it didn't seem to matter; he has a good job now, after all.

New York was such a rewarding place to live in, but Alvin knew that being back in LA would make everything a tiny bit better. Living alone in such a populated place had more cons than it had pros. Alvin had been thinking about moving back to California a couple of times before, but never had the time to fully think about it.

But here he is now, hungover at one in the afternoon with two random girls in his bedroom.

He stayed like this, thinking, for who knows how long until he heard the sound of a door opening. He opened his eyes and saw the two girls emerge from his bedroom. They were now fully clothed. Again, he had no idea who these two girls were, and had no idea how they came into bed with him. But judging by the beer bottles that laid around his room, and of the smell of alcohol wafting through the air, he figured that it was better _not_ to ask.

Alvin cleared his throat and looked at the two girls. Things like this _has_ happened before, though those times he was sober when they happened, or half-sober at least. He just couldn't remember anything about last night.

He wasn't in a relationship. He didn't exactly want to be in one just yet. He enjoys being single, because it meant no commitment, and no annoying girl being at his heel all day. But that does not mean that he doesn't knows what being in a relationship feels like, because he does. He hasn't been in one in ages though, and goodness knows what happened the last time he was in one.

He looked at the girls and said, "Um, do you guys want me to call a cab for you, or...?"

"No, it's fine." Said the brunette. "We'll just escort ourselves out."

And those were the only words said before the two girls walked out the door, both holding their pair of high heels in his hands. Once Alvin closed the door, he took a long shower, made a quick breakfast, and entered his living room where he sat in one of the couches. He sighed deeply and put his head on his hands, and this time, it wasn't because of the hangover.

As mentioned, he has thought about moving back to California, but never found a good enough reason to convince himself to actually do it, until today. Living in New York was great, but there was nothing rewarding for himself. His father and brothers were on the other side of the country, on the days where he had worked, he worked long and tiring hours, and most of the time, things around here just got lonely.

Sure, he's friends with his co-workers and they go out for drinks a few times a month, but Alvin felt that it just wasn't the same. The only fun thing he ever does around here is whenever he has people over, or when he brings girls home for the night. But even _he_ was beginning to grow tired of those.

He sighed to himself before grabbing his Iphone from the table. He scrolled down his contact list until he found his dad's name. He hasn't spoken to his father, Dave, in a while. In fact, it's been a few months since he had called his father, or any of his brothers. He put the phone to his ear and waited.

He knew what he had to do, and he really wished he had done it sooner. He didn't even have to think twice about this decision.

After many rings, he sighed in relief when he finally heard the other end of the line pick up.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Dave. It's me." Said Alvin.

"Alvin?" Asked Dave.

"Yeah."

"Alvin! How are you doing, son? Wow, it's been a while since you've called. New York still treating you good?" Dave asked him.

"Yeah. How's Simon and Theodore?" Alvin asked.

"They're doing good." Answered Dave.

"That's good. How about you, dad? How've you been lately?" Alvin asked.

"You know, same old. So, what's up? Why'd you call?" Dave asked him.

Alvin paused for a few seconds. "Oh. Well, I have something to tell you. It's kind of important."

"Oh. What's wrong?" Asked his father.

Alvin sighed deeply and said, "I want to move back to California."

The other end of the phone became silent.

"Dave?" Alvin asked carefully.

"You want to move back here? But why?" Asked Dave.

Alvin shrugged to himself. "Guess I'm really starting to miss the place."

Dave sighed deeply. "Look, son, it's great to hear that you want to move back home, but you're living a very good life right now in New York. You're rich, you have your own place and everything. You can't just throw that all away."

"I know, dad. But I've been thinking about this for a while now." Alvin answered.

"Why tell me this now?" Asked his father.

"I guess that I'm getting a bit tired of New York lately. It'd be nice to return home to LA again." Alvin said.

"But why? Is there a reason why you want to leave New York?" Asked Dave.

"I don't know. Living here has been nice, but I'm starting to think that 5 years is enough. Especially with me living here all by myself, it's been pretty quiet, almost too quiet. It'd be great being able to see you, Simon and Theodore again. And besides, living in New York isn't _as_ great as people think." Alvin said.

"Do your brothers know about this?" Asked Dave.

"No. Just you." Alvin said.

Dave didn't say anything for a while and sighed. "Alvin, are you sure you want to do this? Are you sure you want to move back here?"

Alvin exhaled through his nose. "Yeah, I'm sure."

"But what about your job? Your house? What about your cars?" Asked Dave.

"I'll ask the guys from work to help me on selling them. The money will be sent to my bank account once they're sold, anyway. It won't take very long before someone buys them. This _is_ New York, after all." Alvin said.

"And once you move back, are you planning to buy your own place?" Asked Dave.

"Yeah. I'll just move into a new house and find another job there." Alvin answered.

"Well, if that's what you really want, then I'm not here to stop you." Dave said.

"Thanks, Dave." Alvin said.

"Just make sure you tell your brothers about this." Said Dave.

"Don't worry. I'll tell them."

"Alright then. Well, good luck, and I hope to see you back home again, son. It's been too long." Said Dave.

Thanks, dad. I'll call you once I have everything figured out." Alvin said, before disconnecting the line.

It was time to go back home, back to Los Angeles, for the first time in 5 years. Back to old friends and family, back to living in the place he spent his entire life.

He just didn't know how much of a mistake he was making.

* * *

**Hm. Well, we did sure learn a few things about Alvin and of Brittany in this first chapter.**

**What do you think of them so far? Any opinions?**

**Can't wait to read your feedback, so please follow this story if you'd like to get updates on when the next chapter is posted, and please review, because the more reviews means the faster I update! Seriously, I actually have the next chapter ready, so REVIEW! :)**

**PS: I was wondering how long you guys would like the chapters to be. Would you like them to be lengthy, or not? Was _this_ chapter too long, not long enough, or just right? **

**I'd like to know because it would help me a whole lot with the upcoming chapters (:**

**Once again, thank you!**


	3. Doesn't mean a thing

**Thanks for all the amazing feedback and reviews from the previous chapter :D**

**Okay, well, some of you have been wondering what universe this story is set in. I rarely ever write in cartoon-verse. I almost _always_ base my stories and characters off of the CGI characters, but in some sort of _humanized_ form, if that makes sense. Don't ask me why, it's just my own preference. I've been basing my stories off the CGI characters since I started this archive, so I've basically stuck with it since then.**

**That being said, here is the next chapter!**

* * *

1 month later...

"Thanks for covering my shift tonight, Eleanor. I owe you big time."

Eleanor Miller smiled at her co-worker. "No problem, Sally. I'll see you tomorrow, alright?" She said, before she exited her work place.

Eleanor is Brittany's younger sister. Over the years after high school, she lost a bit of that extra baby weight, still has a passion for culinary, and now lives by herself in an apartment just 5 minutes away from Brittany's house. She now had long blonde hair, and the same pretty green eyes. Since Eleanor worked in the mall, she usually stopped by the food court to get something to eat before heading back home.

She walked into the food court, and made her way to her favorite sushi bar, but frowned when she saw that the line up was longer than usual. But she lined up anyway; unlike her older sister, she never had a problem with patience.

10 minutes in, and she was halfway though the line. She was starting to get hungry, and since she had to cover an extra shift for her co-worker, she had to skip lunch. She stepped one foot out of the line to see how many people were ahead of her, but what she saw next was something she really was _not_ expecting.

About 4 people ahead of her was someone who looked _so_ familiar, someone that she hasn't seen in years. She couldn't really see the person to it's entirety, but boy, did it really look like him.

Eleanor stepped back in line and shook her head to herself. No, it can't be him. It can't possibly be him.

But again, he looked _just_ like him. Same bronze hair, same features, everything. She knew, everyone knew, that he moved to some other city a few years back. Eleanor hasn't really seen his brothers in a while, but she has always wondered when she was going to see _him_ again. After all, he and her older sister were once, well, nevermind.

But what was she saying? It can't be him. It may just be some guy who looks like him. But no, it just can't be him.

Eleanor didn't realize that she was holding up the line behind her until the person behind her tapped her on the shoulder. But when she turned back around, he was gone.

Eleanor decided to take her sushi to-go. She got into her car, and pulled out her cellphone and instantly called Jeanette.

"Hello?"

"Hey. Jeanette?" Eleanor said.

"Oh, hi, Eleanor." Said Jeanette from the other end.

"Hi." Said Eleanor.

"What's up?" Jeanette asked.

Eleanor sighed and said, "Okay, this is going to sound weird because I know we haven't talked about them in a while, but do you remember the Seville boys?"

"Of course I remember them." Jeanette said.

"We haven't really spoken to them in a long time, haven't we." Eleanor said.

"Yeah, it's been a while. How come?" Asked Jeanette.

Eleanor sighed to herself before saying, "Well, do you remember Alvin Seville?"

"Alvin Seville? Yeah, I remember him." Jeanette said.

"Didn't he move to like, Chicago or Orlando or something?" Eleanor asked.

"I'm not sure where he moved to, but yeah, I know he moved somewhere. Why are you asking?" Jeanette asked.

"Well, this is gonna sound odd because...I think I saw him today." Eleanor said.

"Really?" Jeanette asked.

"I don't know if it was really him. I mean, I thought he moved someplace else, but it really looked like him." Eleanor said.

"Wow, that's weird. I thought he moved away a few years ago too." Jeanette said. She was quiet for a few seconds before she spoke up and said, "Well, did you tell Brittany about this?"

Eleanor sighed to herself. She knew this question would be brought up because she was wondering about that too. "No. Why? _Should_ I tell her?"

Once again, Jeanette was quiet. "I...I don't know. Brittany hasn't spoken about him ever since he left. I was beginning to think that she completely forgot about him."

Eleanor sighed deeply. "I know, it sure seems like that. It's been years though. Do you think she still, well, hates him as much as she did before he left?"

"Well, I'm not sure if it would even matter to Brittany anymore. She's with Christopher now, isn't she?" Said Jeanette.

"Hmm, I guess you're right. But should I tell her though?" Asked Eleanor. "I know there's no reason to, but somehow, I feel like I _need_ to."

"Well, I guess you should. But I don't think Brittany will care. You _do_ remember what happened between them the last time they were together, don't you?" Jeanette asked.

Eleanor nodded to herself at the memory. "Yeah."

"And besides, you're not even sure if it's him, right?" Said Jeanette.

"Yeah."

"Well, yeah. I think you should go tell her. There's no harm in doing so, after all." Jeanette said.

Eleanor sighed. "Alright. Well, I'll see you tomorrow at lunch, then."

"Okay." Jeanette said.

After they both hung up, instead of driving back to her place, Eleanor took a different route; she was going to Brittany's house. She didn't know if her older sister would care. In fact, Eleanor _knew_ that Brittany would be furious at her for bringing his name up. _His_ name was something that wasn't allowed to be brought up around Brittany, and it's been like that for years.

But for some reason, although she didn't know why she's going to tell Brittany, Eleanor felt like her sister needed to know.

Minutes later, she arrived at Brittany's house. The moment she got out of her car, she walked up to the front door and knocked on it. It didn't take Brittany very long to answer, though she was surprised to see her younger sister there all of a sudden.

"Eleanor. I didn't know you were coming over." Brittany said.

"Yeah, sorry. Um, are you alone?" Eleanor asked.

"Yeah, come in." Brittany said, as Eleanor entered the house before closing the door shut.

"Sorry for suddenly coming over. I should've called first." Eleanor said, as she took a seat on the couch.

Brittany smiled. "Nah, it's fine. I wasn't really doing anything anyway. Did you just get off work?"

Eleanor nodded. "Yeah."

"Oh. So, what brings you here?" Brittany asked her sister, taking a seat in the couch across from her.

Eleanor sighed as she looked over at first. She didn't know how to begin. In fact, she didn't even know if what she was about to say, was even true. "Britt, before I say anything, let me just tell you that I'm not _completely_ sure if I'm right."

Brittany didn't understand. "What do you mean?"

Eleanor sighed again and said, "Well, let's just say that I think I saw someone, someone that we haven't seen in a _long_ time."

Brittany raised her eyebrows. "Who?"

"Remember, I don't know if I saw correctly, but-"

"Eleanor, who are you talking about?" Brittany asked suddenly.

Eleanor sighed and said, "Well, today after work, I think I saw Alvin."

Brittany froze. The blue eyed girl looked at her sister. "Who?"

Eleanor looked up. "Alvin. Alvin Seville."

That name.

That was a name that Brittany hadn't heard of in years, a name she hasn't said in years. That was a name she hadn't even thought about in years. That name meant very little to her, if not, it meant nothing at all. A few years ago, it may have, but not anymore. He was someone she didn't know anymore, someone who she didn't give a care about in the world, someone who never seemed to have ever existed to her.

When she heard her sister say that name, she didn't move a muscle. That name replayed itself in her mind, and it was _sickening_, but she tried her best not to show that it was bothering her.

Eleanor sighed, "Brittany, I knew I shouldn't have told you, but-"

"No. It's fine." Brittany said.

"I just-"

"Why would it matter to me, anyway?" Said Brittany.

"I-I just thought that I'd tell you." Eleanor said.

"It's fine." Brittany said again. "I honestly don't even know who you're talking about, anyway."

Her sister sighed. "But like I said, I'm not even sure if it was him."

"It probably wasn't." Brittany said.

Eleanor looked at her.

"The last time I heard about him, he moved away to live somewhere else. And thank goodness he did. He hasn't been back for years." Brittany said.

Though Brittany claims that she has no idea who Eleanor was talking about, they both knew that she did. She could feel her blood begin to boil under her skin, but she didn't even know why. Why was she getting upset anyway? It's not as if that person affects her. In fact, Brittany hasn't even thought nor spoke of him for so long that she felt as if his name was just another sound that she's never heard.

Except that she _has_ heard of it. She's trying her very best to act as if she had no clue to who her sister was talking about, but even _she_ couldn't convince herself. As much as she tried to ignore it, it's literally impossible to forget about a name that once meant something.

"But what if it _was_ him?" Eleanor asked.

Brittany laughed insultingly and shook her head. "If it was, or if it wasn't, there's no difference. For all we know, he could have died a few years ago or something."

"Brittany." Eleanor sighed.

"Listen to me, Eleanor. I don't know who you saw, but it definitely wasn't him." Brittany said.

Eleanor didn't say anything.

"I don't want to _talk_ about him, I don't want to speak _of_ him, I don't want to waste my time on someone I don't even know, on someone I do _not_ want to know." Brittany said.

Eleanor began to wonder why Brittany was suddenly acting all uptight. It wasn't as if he was there in the room with them right now. She knew that she made her sister upset, but why? All she said was his name, right?

Eleanor bit her lip and looked down. "Sorry, Brittany. I knew I shouldn't have told you."

Brittany looked at her sister for a moment and sighed. She said, "It's fine. I don't even care about it, anyway. It doesn't even matter to me. But please, just don't _ever_ say his name in front of me again."

* * *

It's been a month since Alvin returned home.

Alvin left New York as soon as he was able to sell his house and his cars, and let's just say that he earned a couple million dollars from that. He left for California as soon as he could. It took about 7 hours for his plane to arrive to LA. His father and his brothers waited for him at the airport, and Alvin was actually pretty excited; he hasn't seen his dad and his brothers for 5 years.

Returning back home to LA was like a breath of fresh air for Alvin. He instantly felt happier, being back in the place he grew up. New York was great, but it was just getting a bit too much. He'd only wish that he came back faster.

For 2 weeks, Alvin lived with Dave until he found his own place. His brothers both lived in their own places as well, close to their father's house, but since Alvin had a couple million dollars in his bank, he was able to find a nice, two-story mansion with 5 bedrooms and 4 washrooms.

"5 bedrooms? What are you going to need 5 bedrooms for?" Asked Dave.

"You know, just in case." Answered Alvin.

"Just in case for what?" Asked Dave.

"Uh, nothing." Said Alvin.

He was still looking for a job, but he knew that it wouldn't be that hard. And besides, though he's only 24 years old, he's got enough money to last him the next couple of years.

Alvin just returned home from the mall where he bought sushi for him, his brothers and Dave. They were staying over for dinner tonight. His house wasn't quite finished yet. He still needed to move all the furniture in and everything. Dave kept on saying how unnecessary it was for him to have bought a house so big, when he was the only one living in it.

"Don't be jealous, dad. Once you retire, you can move in." Alvin joked.

Theodore and Simon laughed in the background.

Dave just ignored him and said, "Anyway, I was thinking that you should throw a house warming party."

Alvin looked at his dad and raised his eyebrows. "A house warming party? For what?" He asked.

"I'm pretty sure people would be thrilled to know that you're back. I mean, you haven't seen your friends and family for 5 years, and I'm sure everyone would like to see your new place. This would be a great opportunity to catch up with some old friends." Dave said to his son.

Alvin laughed. "Thanks for the suggestion, Dave, but no thanks."

"I think it's a great idea." Said Theodore. "It _has_ been 5 years since you've seen all the people you use to be friends with. And besides, your place is big enough to hold a house warming party."

"I'd rather not." Alvin said.

Simon laughed to himself at the side. "_You_ refusing to throw a party? Since when did _that_ happen?"

Alvin rolled his eyes. "There's a difference between a _party_, and a house warming party, _genius_."

"Come on, Alvin. What do you say?" Dave said.

Alvin sighed as he turned to his dad. "But who's there to invite?" He was clearly not amused with this idea.

"How about the Miller sisters?" Suggested Dave.

"The who?" Asked Alvin.

"Come on, don't tell me you don't remember who they are." Dave said.

Alvin shook his head. "No clue."

"Remember? Brittany Miller, Jeanette Miller and Eleanor Miller. You all use to be really good friends." Dave said.

"I have no idea who you're talking about." Alvin said, before popping a piece of sushi into his mouth.

Simon rolled his eyes. "Of course you remember them. You must be insane if you don't remember them. They've been our friends for years."

Alvin looked over to glare at his brother. Simon must be _stupid_ to actually believe that he actually forgot who they are. _Of course_ he knows who they are, of course he remembers. He hasn't been gone for _that_ long hasn't he? But the only reason why Alvin said that he didn't know who they are is because, well, he just didn't care.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious, for that statement. Of course I know who you're talking about. I just don't care about anyone them. I don't really know them anymore, either." Alvin said.

Of course, Dave, Simon and Theodore knew what happened a few years ago, but they just didn't know how bad it actually was. But they knew better than to say _her_ name in front of him.

"Well, you could at least invite them, Alvin. It'd be rude not to, especially since you guys were so close while growing up." Dave said.

Alvin sighed deeply to himself. It wasn't like he didn't care. Dave was right, they _were_ close friends for many years. It would be nice seeing them again, of course _them_ meaning _two_ out of the three sisters. Jeanette and Eleanor were pretty good friends of his. He just didn't care for the other sister. In fact, _she_ hasn't even crossed his mind in years.

Alvin looked towards his brothers. "Do you still keep in contact with Jeanette and Eleanor?"

Theodore shrugged. "Not really. We haven't seen them in a while. Why?"

"Well, if you guys are able to contact them, you can invite them." Alvin said.

Theodore raised his eyebrows. "Just them? Not even-"

"You guys can invite whoever you want. I don't really care who goes. But just make sure that you invite Jeanette and Eleanor _only_." Alvin said.

Simon said, "Alvin, you _do_ know that Jeanette and Eleanor hardly go anywhere without..._her_."

Simon knew not to speak of the oldest sister around Alvin.

Alvin shrugged. "If they don't want to come, then that's fine with me."

"Well, when do you even want to have this house warming party?" Theodore asked his older brother.

"You guys can do all the planning. I honestly couldn't care less about this. But just make sure it's sometime after the next 2 weeks. It's gonna take me a long time before this place gets cleaned up." Alvin said.

* * *

Right after Eleanor left Brittany's house that night, Brittany went upstairs to her bedroom and laid on her bed, looking up at the ceiling. She was confused right now, she didn't know what to make of what happened tonight. Could it really be him? Was he really back?

Brittany shook her head to herself. She was letting this get to her head. Who cares if he's back? She doesn't even know him anymore. She spent the last 5 years without ever coming across his name, or even the thought of anything about him. She spent all this time away, free and happy from anything that would have been something 5 years ago.

She promised herself to never think about him ever again, to never speak of him ever again, and for the past 5 years, she's done exactly that. In fact, he soon became a distant old memory. She barely had any idea who Eleanor was talking about when she first said his name. That's how vague he was to her now.

Then again, Brittany couldn't pull herself away from thinking back to the past, when there _was_ something between them. At one point in their life, he was the one person who really meant the world to her. They had plans for the future, everything that you could have ever imagined. But that all ended brutally.

They _both_ agreed to end things. They both agreed that they wanted nothing to do with each other anymore.

And they were both fine with it.

But what did it matter to her, anyway? He was literally _dead_ to her.

Brittany sighed as she got off her bed and strode over to her vanity where she began to brush out her hair, the first thing she always does whenever she starts to get ready for bed. She looked up and stared at herself in the mirror for a long time.

She looked down and shook her head once again. No, these were just stupid, old, useless memories that were getting to her. She was with someone else now, someone _way_ better, someone who made her forget that _he_ ever existed. She was in love with someone else now.

She easily spent the last 5 years without a single thought of him, so why should she let it bother her _now_?

And besides, it may not even be him anyway.

He doesn't mean a thing to her, and he never will again.

* * *

Dave, Simon and Theodore all left Alvin's house right after dinner. Like he said, he still needed to move some things in into his house; his house was still pretty empty. He had boxes filled with his belongings all over the place, and since he lived in a very large house by himself, the interior of his place looked like a ghost town.

As he walked upstairs, he couldn't help but think about this dumb house warming party that Dave wanted him to hold. Alvin thought that the idea of it was absolutely stupid, that there was no point. Sure, it _would_ be great seeing his old friends again. Surely they'd want to know what Alvin's been up to. It actually would be nice to see everyone again, well, _mostly_ everyone.

There was just _one_ person who he did _not_ want to see.

Earlier, Dave brought up three names that he hasn't heard in a long time, and it wasn't as though Alvin didn't know who his father was talking about, because he did. Of course he did. But there was just one name that really stood out, and not in a good way.

He remembers her. For the first time in years, he's actually _thinking_ about her.

It's not like he wanted to think about her. He has avoided having her cross his mind in 5 years.

But if he had to be honest with himself, he did not want to see her. He didn't even remember her if it wasn't for Dave bringing her and her sisters up into the conversation. For as far as he could remember, they wanted nothing to do with each other, and he wasn't even bothered by it one bit.

It didn't exactly matter to him anyway. She was just someone that he use to know, someone that really didn't matter to him now. And besides, his brothers promised him that they wouldn't invite her, just her sisters. He wasn't going to let some stupid girl that he use to know, ruin everything again.

But the thing was, she wasn't just some stupid girl.

Because once, there actually _was_ something between them.

He remembers her, although he didn't know what to think of it, if he even gave a crap about her at all. Though it's been years since he last saw her, he could still remember her. Years ago, she meant a great deal to him. But now, she was next to nothing. It wasn't as if he's forgotten about her entirely, but it wasn't as if she had any influence on him anymore.

It would make no difference to him if he ever came across her, because he knew that he wouldn't even do anything. They've been strangers to each other for years, they didn't even consider each other's existence for years.

Just because he was back home in California, didn't mean that he had to see people he didn't want to see. If it were up to him, he didn't even know who she was anymore.

They didn't even know each other anymore - they hadn't for years. It was as if whatever they had before, vanished. But it didn't matter, he stopped caring, the moment he left 5 years ago.

As he walked up the stairs and into his bedroom, he soon found that he couldn't sleep. He laid in bed all night, unable to pull his mind off of things he didn't want to think about, _people_ he didn't want to think about.

Hours passed. He didn't realize that it was past 3am until he looked at the digital clock that was beside his bed.

But what he didn't know that just about 15 minutes away from where he lived, the girl he had been pondering about all night, the girl he hadn't seen in 5 years, still laid awake in _her_ bed at this exact hour.

And they were both unaware that they were thinking about the same thing.

* * *

**As the majority of you suggested, I will try to make the upcoming chapters a slightly bit longer :)**

**Well, it's clear that Alvin nor Brittany want anything to do with each other, but what do you think?**

**Thanks so much for reading, and please REVIEW! :)**


	4. Nostalgic names

**Here is the next chapter!**

**Thank you for all the lovely reviews, along with some very sweet PMs that some of you have been sending me. Sometimes I log on and wonder why I have all these messages, asking for sequels and updates, and everything! I'm nothing more than a girl who spent her entire Summer typing on a computer lol. I know some of you have been messaging me to hurry up and update, but I'll explain why I'm a bit late at updating, later at the bottom of this chapter (:**

**Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

2 weeks later...

It was a sunny Friday evening in Los Angeles, and Jeanette had finally finished up her volunteer work at the library. She works part time at a science convention centre, those places where teachers take their students to for a field trip. But whenever she didn't have work, she volunteers at the library, where she reads books to little kids that come by.

It was a tiring day, and she was so glad to be back home. Unlike her sister Brittany, Jeanette lived in a cozy little apartment; she wasn't big on the whole interior design thing, so her home was as simple and plain as can be. In fact, Jeanette actually loved living in peace and quiet, surrounded by nothing but old novels and steaming cups of tea.

Jeanette sighed as she dropped into one of her couches. Thank goodness she had the weekend to look forward to. She reached over towards her table side drawer and picked up the book she was currently reading, although she's already read it twice before.

About 30 minutes passed before her cell phone suddenly rang. Jeanette put the book down on her lap and turned towards her phone. That was odd. She rarely ever uses her phone, unless it was for important reasons only. She rarely ever gets phone calls from her sisters, her mother or from someone at work, mainly because she sees them all almost everyday. But other than that, she never gets calls.

So who could be calling her now?

Jeanette placed her bookmark inside her book, placed it aside and reached over to grab her phone. It couldn't be from her sisters; if it were, her inbox would be flooding with text messages. It also couldn't be someone from work, because her co-workers always contacted each other through email.

Though hesitant at first, Jeanette pressed the green button on her phone and put it to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Hello, um, Jeanette?"

Jeanette raised her eyebrows. "This is her. May I ask who's calling?"

She heard a nervous chuckle at the end of the line before he spoke up and said, "It's Simon. Simon Seville."

Jeanette gasped to herself. It's been a while since she's seen or heard from him. In fact, she couldn't remember the last time she saw him. And getting this sudden phone call, and hearing his voice for the first time in ages was the last thing she would have expected.

"Simon? Is it really you?" Jeanette asked.

Simon laughed again. "Yeah. How are you?"

"I'm good! Oh wow, I haven't heard from you in so long. When was the last time we saw each other? Last year when we bumped into each other at that restaurant?" Jeanette said.

"Yeah, I know. I wasn't sure if you remembered me or not." Simon said.

Jeanette laughed. "Of course I remember you. So, how are you doing?"

"I'm doing great. You know, busy and everything, but it's been fine." Said Simon.

"Well, that's great to hear. How are your brothers?" Jeanette asked.

"They're doing good." Answered Simon. "Anyway, I know you're probably wondering why I phoned you outta the blue."

Jeanette laughed. "Well, a bit."

Simon laughed, before sighing. "Well, you remember Alvin, right?"

"Of course. How is he, by the way? Last time I heard, he moved to the other side of America, didn't he?" Said Jeanette.

"Yeah. He moved to New York right after high school. He's been living there for 5 years." Said Simon.

Jeanette nodded to herself, suddenly remembering everything. "Oh, that's right! Have you heard from him lately?"

"Actually, he moved back here a month ago." Simon said.

Jeanette fell quiet for a few moments. "He did? He's back in Los Angeles now?"

"Yeah. He told us that he was starting to get pretty bored of living in New York, and that he was missing LA a lot, so he moved back." Simon told her. "But anyway, he bought a new house, and he's throwing a house warming party, and wanted to invite most of his friends that he hasn't seen in so long."

"Oh. And he wants to invite me?" Jeanette asked.

"Well, Dave suggested to invite you. And your sisters." Simon said.

"Brittany and Eleanor too?" Jeanette asked.

Simon didn't say anything for a short while, before he sighed. "Well, Alvin said to _only_ invite you and Eleanor."

Jeanette nodded. She figured that. "Not Brittany, huh."

"No. He didn't even mention her name." Said Simon.

But Jeanette and Simon didn't say much about this topic. They knew how Alvin felt about her, and how Brittany felt about him. It's been 5 years, and you would have thought that they would at least feel a bit of remorse over their breakup, but it was as if nothing had changed; it was as if nothing between them ever existed.

Jeanette sighed.

"Look. I know that it _would_ be best if Brittany didn't go, but I think it would be disrespectful not to invite her." Simon said.

"I don't know, Simon. You _do_ know how Brittany feels towards your older brother, don't you?" Jeanette asked softly.

"I know. But like I said, I think it would be really rude if Alvin invited you and Eleanor only, especially since we were _all_ really good friends when we were younger." Said Simon.

"But I don't know what to tell Brittany. I know for a fact that she'll refuse to go, the moment I say Alvin's name in front of her." Jeanette said.

"Well, if she doesn't want to go, then that's completely fine. I just think that it's a good idea that she will, because ever since that whole fight between her and Alvin 5 years ago, we all just sort of became distant with each other. And besides, it's not like they actually even care about the other." Said Simon.

"I guess so..." Jeanette said.

"It's not like Alvin and Brittany have to actually talk to each other. It's been 5 years, surely they don't hate each other _that_ much anymore. And plus, it's been a while since we saw you guys, and it'd be really nice to catch up on things." Simon said to her.

Jeanette sighed and said, "But once Alvin sees her, _especially_ since he told you not to invite her-"

"I'll take the blame for it. What's the worse he could do?" Said Simon.

Jeanette laughed lightly. "Well, I'll think about it."

"Alright, but like I said, if Brittany doesn't want to go, then that's completely fine. But out of respect, just give her the invite." Said Simon.

"When is it?" Jeanette asked him.

"Next Friday." Answered Simon.

She sighed to herself and bit her bottom lip for half a second. "Okay. I'll just call you back once I get an answer from my sisters. Is your cell phone number still the same?" Asked Jeanette.

"Yeah, it is. And thanks." Simon answered.

"Of course. Oh, and Simon?" Jeanette asked.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for calling. It's been a while." Jeanette said.

"No problem. It was good hearing from you too." He said. "But anyway, I hope to see you soon."

"You too." Jeanette said.

Once their phone call ended, Jeanette placed her phone back on the coffee table and sat back. What was she going to do? It _would_ be nice, seeing the Seville boys again, but she was concerned about Brittany. Jeanette knew how strongly affected Brittany was when she broke up with Alvin. She _knows_ how much Brittany hates him, how much she doesn't care about him, how completely non-existent he was in her sister's life.

In fact, for the past 5 years, she hasn't even heard her sister mention his name. Not even once.

And if Jeanette really thought about it, the last time she ever heard Brittany speak of Alvin's was when Brittany came home crying one night, screaming that she '_hated him more than anything_' and that she '_wished he was dead_'.

And after that, she hasn't heard her sister speak of him ever again.

Jeanette instantly reached for her cell phone again and dialed Eleanor's number. She was hoping that Eleanor recieved the same phone call she just got, so they could both discuss this.

"Hello?"

"Elle, it's me."

"Oh. What's up?" Eleanor asked.

Jeanette sighed. "Well, you'll never guess who I just got a phone call from."

"Who?" Asked Eleanor.

"Simon Seville." Answered Jeanette.

Eleanor was quiet for about two seconds before saying, "Are you serious?"

"Yeah." Said Jeanette.

"That's so weird because, well, I recieved a phone call from Theodore this morning too." Said Eleanor.

That made Jeanette gasp. "Theodore? Really?"

"Yeah. It was so unexpected. I haven't heard from him, or any of his brothers in years." Said Eleanor.

"I know. I haven't either." Said Jeanette.

"So...what did he say?" Asked Eleanor.

Both Jeanette and Eleanor were slightly surprised to hear that Simon and Theodore both told them the same thing. They were both invited to Alvin's house warming party, they both asked if Alvin mentioned Brittany, they both heard the same answer; that Alvin didn't even bring her up, and they both heard from Simon and Theodore to just bring Brittany along anyway.

"I _knew_ I saw him." Eleanor said, referring to that time a few weeks ago where she spotted him, though that time she was unsure if it was him. She sighed. "So, what are we gonna tell Brittany?"

"I don't think it'll be _that_ bad, Eleanor. She and Alvin hadn't seen each other in 5 years. I doubt that they still hate each other." Jeanette said.

"Yeah, but Brittany hasn't said a single word about him in ages. It even seems as though she's completely forgot about him." Eleanor said.

"Exactly. I don't think Brittany cares about him enough anymore to get bothered by him." Said Jeanette.

"But remember what the boys told us? When Dave suggested to invite us, Alvin didn't even bring up Brittany's name. It's still clear that whatever happened between them 5 years ago, still has some affect today. They still hate each other." Eleanor said.

But Jeanette and Eleanor both knew that the word '_hate_' was an understatement. There was more than just hatred going on between them. 5 years ago or not, Jeanette and Eleanor knew that there was not a simple ounce of regret or sorrow in Alvin and Brittany's hearts.

"And plus, it _would_ be rude if she didn't go." Jeanette said.

"But she wasn't invited in the first place..." Eleanor reminded.

"She wasn't invited by Alvin, but Theodore and Simon politely asked us to ask her." Jeanette said.

"Well, I guess you do have a point. It's not like we're going to this party, just so Brittany and Alvin will see each other again." Said Eleanor.

"Yeah. And it _would_ be nice seeing the boys again after so long." Jeanette said.

Eleanor sighed to herself. "So, when should we tell Brittany?"

"Want to go to her house tomorrow? I think it's better if we tell her in person, rather than over the phone." Jeanette said.

"You're right. So, I guess I'll see you tomorrow." Eleanor said.

"Yeah, see you tomorrow." Jeanette said.

* * *

The next day, after lunch, Jeanette drove to Eleanor's house to pick her up before driving over to their older sister's house. Eleanor and Jeanette were both expecting a big 'No' from Brittany, the moment they tell her who's house they were invited to go to next week, but it was worth a shot.

When Jeanette pulled into the driveway, they both saw another car parked in the driveway. They both knew who the car belonged to.

They both got out of the car and rang Brittany's doorbell. Though they knew he was over at their sister's house, they weren't expecting him to answer the door for them. Brittany's boyfriend, Christopher, stood at the doorway.

Brittany's been with Chris for 4 years now, and Jeanette and Eleanor really thought that he was a good guy for Brittany. Though they don't know him that well, which was weird considering the fact that he's been dating their sister for 4 years, the girls still approved of him. At first, it was weird seeing Brittany with another guy, since she's been dating someone else for so long, but that's another story now.

"Oh, hey guys." Said Chris.

"Hi, Chris. Is Brittany here?" Asked Eleanor.

"Yeah, we just finished up with lunch. Come in." Chris said, as he opened the door wider so they could enter.

Jeanette and Eleanor followed Chris into the kitchen where they found Brittany, just finishing up the remaining pieces of her lunch. Brittany looked up and smiled when she saw her sisters walk in.

"Hey guys!" Brittany said, embracing her sisters. "I didn't know you guys were coming over."

"We just wanted to visit." Eleanor smiled.

"I hope we didn't interrupt your guys' little lunch date." Jeanette said.

Brittany laughed. "No, it's alright. We were just having lunch and talking about work. Anyway, what brings you guys here?"

Eleanor quickly glanced at Jeanette. Since they weren't expecting Brittany's boyfriend to be here, they weren't really sure how they would tell her now. Surely, they wouldn't dare to tell Brittany, especially since Chris is standing right there.

"We just wanted to see how you were doing. You've been so on-the-go lately, that the three of us haven't really had any sister time." Eleanor said.

Brittany smiled again. "Well, I'm glad you guys came over. Here, sit down."

Right after Jeanette and Eleanor took a seat at the table beside their sister, they instantly fell quiet. They didn't know how to start talking.

"So, what's up?" Asked Brittany.

"Um..." Jeanette bit her lip.

Eleanor sighed deeply to herself as she looked up to look at Christopher. "Um, no offence, Chris, but we, uh, we kinda have to talk to Brittany alone."

Before Chris could answer, Brittany spoke up and said, "No, it's fine. What ever you say to me, you can say in front of Chris."

Eleanor had the urge to roll her eyes, but she didn't. "Well, it's personal."

Chris laughed softly before nodding. "Oh, I get it. Female problems, right?"

Eleanor laughed nervously. "Um, yeah! Exactly."

"Okay, then. Well, I know you girls probably want to have some private 'sister bonding time' anyway, so I'll just get going." He said.

"No, babe, it's fine. We don't mind." Brittany said.

Chris smiled and shook his head. "It's alright. I gotta get going anyway."

Brittany frowned. "Now?"

"Yeah. But I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" He said, leaning in to give Brittany a kiss on her forehead.

Brittany sighed. "Alright then. Don't forget to close the door on your way out."

Christopher nodded. "Don't worry, I will." He said, before turning towards Jeanette and Eleanor. "See you guys later."

Jeanette nodded. "Bye, Chris."

And moments later, he exited the kitchen, followed by the sound of the front door closing. Jeanette and Eleanor were more than relieved, though the didn't show it. There couldn't have been more perfect timing. They both, then, turned to Brittany.

Brittany frowned. "Why'd you tell him to leave?"

Jeanette laughed nervously. "Well, technically, he left on his own accord..."

Brittany looked unimpressed.

Eleanor sighed deeply. "Brittany, we came here for a reason. We...well, we have something to tell you."

Brittany looked at her sisters and raised her eyebrows. "What's wrong?" She asked carefully.

Jeanette and Eleanor knew that it would be better to tell her right away, rather than make her guess.

Eleanor sighed. "He's back."

Brittany looked at her weirdly. "Who? Who's back?"

"Alvin Seville." Eleanor said.

Brittany didn't say anything for a long time. She didn't know what to say, how to react, she just stayed in her place for a good half a minute before shaking her head.

"That's ridiculous. He left the city years ago." Brittany said, her voice softening darkly.

"That doesn't mean that he can't return." Said Jeanette.

She shook her head again, admiring the manicure on her right hand to show that she couldn't care less. "It can't be."

But Jeanette and Eleanor didn't say anything, and it only took _that_ to convince Brittany that they were telling the truth.

Brittany looked up at her sisters. "When...when did he return?"

"About 2 months ago, I think." Answered Eleanor.

Brittany sighed and shook her head to herself. "Hold on. How do you guys know about this?"

Jeanette then explained how she and Eleanor received a phone call from Simon and Theodore last night, much to Brittany's surprise. Of course, Brittany still knew who they were, she just never gave them the time of day to even remember any of them.

Especially _him_.

When they broke up 5 years ago, Brittany thought that that would be the very last time she would ever see him. She _hoped_ it would be the last time she'd ever see him. They both agreed to leave each other's life for good, and ever since then, Brittany couldn't be anymore happier.

Since then, they became strangers to each other, pushing back any single memory that made them remind themselves of each other, burning anything that made them think back on what they use to be. They just didn't care anymore. They had no business with each other anymore; they were dead to each other.

For 5 years now, she hasn't said, nor thought, nor heard of him until now. When she heard his name, she didn't gasp, she didn't feel her heart race, she didn't feel her heart break. She felt nothing.

"I don't get why this involves me." Brittany said slowly, once her sisters finished talking.

Jeanette sighed. "Since he's back, he moved in, bought a new house and everything, and he's planning a house warming party."

Brittany scoffed. "And why would he invite _me_?"

Her sisters knew that it would be better _not_ to tell Brittany that Alvin didn't want to invite her, that he didn't even acknowledge her. Eleanor frowned and sighed. "Now, Britt, don't be like that. He's inviting most of his closest friends from high school."

"We were his closest friends?" Brittany said, rolling his eyes.

But she knew the answer to that.

Jeanette sighed again. "We _were_ all friends back in the day, you know."

"Of course I know." Brittany snapped. "I just...I just don't want to see him."

Eleanor bit her lip, pondering on whether or not to say what she had on her mind, and sighed. "Brittany, it's been 5 years..."

Brittany turned to glare at her youngest sister. "5 years or not, Eleanor, you _know_ how I feel about him. For 5 years, I haven't even thought of him, I barely even remember him. Do you know why?"

Eleanor sighed. "Brittany-"

"Because I _fucking_ hate him." Brittany said between her teeth.

Eleanor sighed deeply. "Britt, be reasonable. You can't hate him _that_ bad. After all, you two _were_-"

"Don't even." Brittany snapped, not daring to hear the rest of what her sister wanted to say.

"Britt, we're not saying that you have to go, but it would be nice if you did. It would be nice to catch up with the boys, since we haven't seen them in so long. And Dave is probably wondering about us too." Said Jeanette.

"Jeanette, when I said that I hate _him_, and that I never want to see him again, I actually meant it." Brittany said darkly.

Jeanette looked at her. "But-"

"Have you even heard me say his name these past few years? Have you even seen me talk about him, even once, within these past few years?" Brittany shot.

"Well, no..."

"Exactly. That proves my point." Brittany fired.

Her sisters knew better than to ask her about things that involved her past, and things that happened with him, things that happened between them, so they tried their best to avoid bringing up Alvin for much longer.

"Brittany, it's not like we're forcing you to go. But what we're trying to say that it would be rude if you didn't show up." Jeanette said.

Brittany shrugged and said, "Since when is being rude my biggest concern?"

Jeanette couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"Like Jeanette said, we're not trying to force you into going. It's your choice. We'd just thought that we'd tell you." Eleanor said.

"Well, I don't want to go. I have more important things to do than to see _his_ face again." Brittany sneered, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You're really not going to let him bother you, are you?" Asked Eleanor.

"It's not that I'm letting him bother me, because I'm not. It's just that he left my life years ago, and he will never be back in it. Ever since, I was so happy with the thought of never seeing him again. I just couldn't care less about him anymore." Brittany said.

"But it wouldn't hurt to at least try to go." Jeanette said.

"Yeah. You don't even have to look at him or even be near him. You don't even have to acknowledge him." Eleanor said.

"Wasn't planning to." Brittany fired.

Jeanette sighed. "So, we'll take that as a no?"

Brittany sighed as she uncrossed her arms. It wouldn't be _that_ bad, would it? Sure, there could be some tension between them, but why should it matter to her? They haven't spoken to each other in years, and they surely didn't mean a single thing to each other anymore. Besides, like her sisters, said, all she had to do was pretend that he wasn't there; Brittany's been doing exactly that for 5 years, and she didn't have a single problem.

And it wasn't as if she had anything against Simon, Theodore and Dave. They had been very close friends of hers when they were growing up, and not wanting to go _would_ be pretty disrespectful. She wasn't going to let some irrelevant boy stop her from seeing some old friends.

Brittany sighed again. "I don't know. Maybe."

"Maybe?" Jeanette asked.

"That doesn't mean that I've decided to go. I mean, it _would_ be nice seeing some old faces. Well, most of them at least." Brittany muttered.

"Exactly. It'll be great, just like old times." Eleanor said.

Brittany nodded slowly. "Yeah. Well, I'll think about it. But if I do end up going, you guys have to stay with me the entire time."

Jeanette nodded. "We promise. All you've gotta do is act as if Alvin isn't there."

"That _definitely_ won't be a problem." Brittany said.

But then she sighed to herself.

_'All I've got to do is pretend that Alvin isn't there.' _She thought.

For the first time in 5 years, she said his name out loud in her head.

And it made her heart cringe.

* * *

**Ooh, so what do you think will happen next? D:**

**Well, now that September is (unfortunately) approaching, that means school is about to start. And basically, I cannot guarantee an update every week, or every two weeks for that matter (Even though I literally have the next 7 chapters already finished). So you guys will just have to bear with me for the time being. **

**Please review! Thank you :)**


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